Beaten Down
by nic-rox-ur-sox
Summary: Set during New Moon. When Edward leaves, Bella is heart broken, and falls into a relationship with Mike that is far from ideal. Can Bella find her way out of the dark abyss she has fallen into? Will Edward return in time to save her? ExB.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N - This is my first fanfic, so please review so that I can improve my writing! ****Any**** reviews are fine, Im happy to hear all opinions :) I will try to update regularly, but please let me know what you think of the story so that I can continue (or not continue) writing. Also, Im open to story ideas, so PM me if you have any cool ones that you would like to see happen! I have the rough outlines already, but Im always open to suggestions. Happy reading, and pretty please review!!! **

**Disclaimer - I do not own Twilight or any of it's characters, if I did, I wouldn't be writing fanfic!**

Prologue

BPOV

It had been exactly 5 weeks since my arm was broken in three places. I did something I shouldn't have, and I got what I deserved. I knew that I wasn't supposed to look at him like that, and so I was punished. He told people that I had fallen down the stairs, a result of my ever-existent clumsiness. In reality, he had taken to me with a baseball bat, a badly broken arm a small price to pay compared to what could have happened if I hadn't protected my head. I chose a black cast, partly because it was less noticeable, but also because that was how I felt. Every day. Ever since Edward took me to the forest, abandoned me, and left me with a gaping hole in my heart that tore the very essence of my being from existence.

When I planned my future as a young naive 17 year old, I never expected to become Mike Newton's personal punching bag. I always imagined myself becoming a powerful and beautiful vampire, taking my rightful place next to Edward in the Cullen family. But I never deserved that place. The one person I truly loved, truly gave my heart to, never loved me back. The shining light in my life trod on my soul and crushed me forever. And that is how I ended up with Mike. In the year following Edward's departure, I drifted aimlessly through life, interested by nothing, and no one. I eventually caved into Mikes insistent pestering about becoming more than friends. That proved to be one of the biggest mistakes of my miserable life to date. Not long into our one-sided relationship, the hitting began. It started with the odd slap when I talked back, or did something to provoke him, progressing to fully-fledged beating, for no apparent reason at all. I had to give it to Mike, he was very creative when it came to excuses about how my injuries came about, the few times when I had driven myself to the hospital after receiving particularly bad breaks. I knew I couldn't tell anyone. Who would I go to? Charlie absolutely adored Mike, he was eternally thankful for him taking me in and making me 'happy' again. I was forbidden to speak to Renee. I doubted whether anybody would believe me if I told them anyway. If only they knew.

Mike liked to think that he rescued me when he gave me another chance at love. I never had loved him. I wasn't even capable of loving anybody else, after Edward had taken my heart with him when he left 3 long years ago. But Mike was always right, and so my life continued painfully on.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N - Remember to review, people! Thanks :)**

**Disclaimer - I do not own Twilight or its characters unfortunately, but hey, dreams are free.**

Chapter One

I woke up to rain pattering on the tiled roof of the house, which wasn't exactly unusual, considering my location in the world. I still hadn't managed to drag myself out of the dreary and dismal town of Forks, and the constant rain only added to my depressed and lost state of mind. Mike had already risen and gone to work at the camping shop, which he took over from his parents just over a year ago. He usually shook me awake at 5.30am every morning so that I could get up and make him a full cooked breakfast while he took a shower, but he must have been feeling remotely human today, letting me sleep in for once.

I sat up and pulled the sheets back, and as I did so, a wave of nausea spread over me. I ran out of the bedroom and into the bathroom down the hall, only just making it in time before I vomited into the toilet.

When I had emptied my stomach of more than I even thought possible, I rinsed my mouth out with water and showered, turning the heat up as high as I could stand. I stood under the steady stream of water, easing out the knots in my muscles, and inspecting myself to see what new bruises I needed to try and hide today. I sighed, _Why me?_ I thought to myself. _What have I done to deserve this?_ I reached out and turned the shower off, drying myself gently with the old towel. I winced as I brushed over a tender spot on my shoulder, tears springing to my eyes. I didn't bother wiping them away, walking over to the mirror above the basin and towelling the condensation away, staring at my reflection. I was a shadow of my former self, barely recognisable as the same Bella Swan that was once deeply in love with her soul mate, or so I had thought at the time. My once sparkly brown eyes were lifeless, my once rich hair had become dull, my skin looked ghostly and drawn, my cheeks no longer filled with rosy blush, instead sunken and pale. I continued looking down my body, seeing countless bruises, some old, some new. I turned away, disgusted at what I saw. I trudged to the bedroom and quickly dressed in grey sweat pants and a black long sleeved top, pulling my roughly dried hair into a loose ponytail as I continued into the kitchen.

As I waited for the hot water to boil, I walked towards the window and gazed silently out into the rain, thinking about how drastically my life had changed since Edward had left. Although it still hurt to even think his name, it was a small price to pay for the moment of happiness it brought to my day when I pictured his face in my mind. I smiled as I remembered his wonderful scent, his gorgeously messy hair, and his eyes. No words could describe how magnificent those topaz eyes were. The whistling of the water jug snapped me out of my daydream, and I tumbled back down to reality.

I reluctantly wandered back to the bench, got a mug from the cupboard and poured myself a strong coffee. I had a feeling it was going to be a long day. I sat down at the table and opened the newspaper. It had become a morning ritual, sifting through the latest headlines, searching for any news that could be vampire related. As stupid as it sounded, it was the only thing that kept me going, the faint glimmer of hope that came with knowing they were still out there somewhere, maybe even coming back some day. Deep down I knew I was kidding myself, but it helped to keep me sane, so I hung onto it tightly. When I was satisfied that there was nothing suspicious about the current events of the Olympic Peninsula, I settled myself at the computer and began my work for the day. I was enrolled at the University of Alaska for online courses in Law. It was tough, but it kept me busy, and my mind off other more distracting things. It also enabled me to have some degree of a life, meaning for once I could actually do things my way. I knew Mike hated me doing it. The fact that it was law probably didn't help either, he was sure that one day I was going to come and get him for abusing me constantly, which only made him beat me harder. But I enjoyed doing something new and interesting, one day I hoped to become a lawyer for women who were going through what I was, god knows somebody needed to stand up for them. I looked up at the clock on the wall and cursed silently under my breath. Mike would be home in 30 minutes. I shut down the computer, rinsed my cup out at the sink and began preparing dinner. Just as I had put the vegetables in the oven to roast, I heard the car approaching the house.

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Mike POV

I sped up the driveway; gravel spitting out behind my tires. My day had been pretty good so far, but no doubt my Bella would find some way to ruin it for me. She always did, the ungrateful bitch. Ever since I had rescued her and given her a better life she had been nothing but difficult. Why couldn't she just accept that we were meant to be together? But no, she was always talking back, showing me no respect. Who did she think she was? She needed training up in how to really be a good partner. Number One rule: respect the man. Thank Christ it wasn't a test, or she would already be failing miserably. Just add that to her already huge list of failings in life. _Wow, what a catch Mike_, I thought to myself.

I climbed out of my car, a beautiful wee Toyota Echo, 2002, 1.2 litre, blue, ahhh... my baby. Sure, it was no Cullen car, but that tosser had more money than sense. Or maybe not, seeing as he left Bella. Might've been smarter than I gave him credit for. I pushed through the front door and walked into the living room, dumping my bag onto the coffee table before crashing onto the couch. I stretched my feet out, resting them on the coffee table and relaxed back, switching the TV on to the sports channel where the latest baseball game was being played.

"Beer," I said. Not a moment later, I heard the quiet shuffling of feet on the kitchen tiles, the fridge opening, and tops being popped. Not long after, my Bella appeared, holding two beers.

"Take your time next time would you? The rate you move, the beer will already be warm," I hissed at her.

Nodding to me, she left the room and continued clattering around in the kitchen.

I continued watching the game and drinking beer for the next hour, and I was growing increasingly irritated as the team I was rooting for fell further behind on the score board. "Stupid team," I muttered to myself. I got up and made my way into the kitchen where Bella had just finished dishing up dinner.

I grabbed my plate and returned to the living room, plonking back down onto the couch to watch the remainder of the game, hoping for a miracle win for my team.

It had become my routine in life – get up, go to work, come home from work, watch TV, go to bed. It wasn't exactly the great job or fulfilling life I had hoped for when I was younger, but then again, neither was marrying the town's biggest fuck up. I was still bitter when it came to the topic of Bella. On the one hand, I was glad that I finally had ownership of the one object of my desire, but I was also eternally peeved about the fact that she was so resentful of me. She thought she could do better? Pfft. Whatever. A girl like her had no hope when it came to having a family; she was damned lucky that I took her in. She should be glad that I, out of the kindness of my own heart, had been there for her in her time of need. Yeah. Damn straight.

I burped loudly as I finished off my beer, and tossed the bottle down on the floor, where it landed with a clatter amongst the five others lying empty.

"Oi, would you come here and pick these up? I shouldn't have to ask you, woman," I shouted into the kitchen. Once again I heard the shuffling of feet on the kitchen floor as Bella made her way out to collect my empties.

Before long I had grown tired of watching sport, and after looking at the clock and realising it was getting late, I made my way to the bedroom to get ready for bed. I glanced at the bed, which had the duvet pulled back, ready for me to jump into. Bella had obviously been here and organised everything for me at some stage during the evening. At least she was good for something. I pulled off my shirt and gazed at myself in the large mirror, which hung on the closet door. I still looked hot. My stomach wasn't quite as toned now that I had given up playing the sports and taken to watching them on TV instead, but I still had a reasonably good physique. _Not bad at all_, I thought to myself. I sauntered over to the bed, sliding my hand under the sheets to check that Bella had turned the electric blanket on, and I felt my anger immediately rise to its usual level when I felt the coolness of the sheets.

"BELLA!" I yelled.

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BPOV

I winced as I heard my name being shouted loudly down the hallway. I knew what was coming next, although I wasn't sure what reason would be behind it this time. I walked briskly towards the direction Mikes voice had come from, the bedroom I was guessing. The faster I got there, the sooner it was over, and by coming as soon as I was called, the better the chances were of a lighter beating.

I walked into the bedroom and waited patiently for the yelling to begin. That was the easy part, compared to what came afterwards.

"What do you call this?" He spat at me, pointing to the bed.

"Ummm…. A bed?" I replied cautiously.

The punch that followed my reply came quickly and I didn't have time to prepare myself, and I fell to the floor as his fist struck my face. I cried out in pain, and felt tears trickle slowly down my face.

"Bitch, what have I told you about being a smart ass to me? Show some fucking respect!" Mike yelled furiously. "But no, always talking back, when are you going to learn? Turn on my fucking electric blanket and get the hell outside, you don't deserve to sleep in the house, under the roof that I have put over your head, you useless slut."

I silently walked to the bed and turned the electric blanket on. As soon as I had done as he had asked, I felt my hair being pulled roughly as Mike grabbed it and started towing me down the hallway, before opening the front door and throwing me onto the cold concrete.

"And don't you DARE think about trying to get inside!" He said, pointing his finger at me while he looked down at me in disgust. With that, he slammed the door and I was left in the cold darkness of the wintery Forks night.

I curled up outside the kitchen window, the soft light from the night-light inside spilling gently out the window and onto the dewy grass, providing me with some degree of comfort in the frosty conditions. I felt sick, my clothes providing little, if any protection against the frigid wintery air that surrounded me. I had stopped being able to feel my hands and feet long ago, and as my shivering began to slowly cease, I closed my eyes and fell into a dreamless sleep.

**A/N - Hit the review button, you know you want to!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N - This is possibly one of the worlds shortest chapters, but hey. I'm supposed to be studying right now, so be glad you have one at all! :P I will be updating heaps more, but not until next week (mid way through) after Im done with exams, and then its the holidays! Which means lots of time to write. Exciting exciting....**

**Also, yes this is a darkish story right now, but it is going to get better, dont worry! So bear with me, I just need to set the scene, and blah blah blah.**

**See you when I next update! (And thanks for the reviews I've had so far, you guys are fab!) Oh, and go check out the other story on my profile - The New Adventures Of Old Forks High. Written by my best mate Danielle, its going to be awesome! And she updates lots as well. What more could you want?**

**Enough from me - ENJOY!**

Disclaimer - I do not own twilight or any of its characters. Darn.

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Chapter Three

**BPOV**

It had been one week since I spent the night outside, and to Mike, the headaches and constant nauseous feelings I had continued to develop since would be put down to a common cold, brought on by the winter chill. I however knew otherwise. After a week of early morning visits to the bathroom for an unceremonious spew, several fainting spells and three pregnancy tests later I knew it was no cold. Shit.

Knocked up with some stupid pricks baby. Just what I needed right now. I had no idea how I was going to hide my pregnancy from Mike. All I did know was that I wasn't going to keep it. How could I? The sex that got it there in the first place was far from consensual, and if I was ever going to have a baby, it would be with somebody I loved. Someone like Edward. Not Mike. Never Mike.

I sighed, looking out the kitchen window, as the trees outside swayed gently with the breeze. There was no way I could have an abortion in Forks, in a town as small as this, your news was everybody's news. But there was no way Mike was going to just let me wander off to Port Angeles for the day. At least, not without him coming with me, which would go down really well. I could just imagine it; "Mike honey, I'm just off to get rid of your baby, just go and grab a coffee and a bite to eat, I shouldn't be too long!". Yeah. In a million years. So here I was, with a parasitic thing growing in my belly, stealing my nutrients. I didn't want it, so why was it here?! I scuffed my way into the lounge and threw myself onto the couch, not bothering to wipe away the tears that were now freely flowing down my face. I cried. I cried for what my life had become since Edward had left. I cried for every punch thrown, every kick that struck me and every word yelled. I cried for myself. For the dismal excuse for a person I had become. For being too weak to stand up to the abuse. But most of all, I cried for what my life could have been. What it should have been.

**APOV**

I sat on my bed, staring at my wardrobe, hoping that something would just jump out at me so I wouldn't have to go through the arduous task of finding something to wear. Clothes had lost their appeal to me since we had left Forks. Well, shopping in general had really. I hadn't been shopping for two and a half years. I had clothes that were unstylish and out of season. I was a wreck. I got up and stomped to where my clothes hung, and blindly grabbed something. I held it out to inspect. It'd do. I began to strip out of my pyjamas slowly, I had taken to wearing them most of the day lately, but I knew that I needed to get dressed eventually. I gasped as I was grabbed by a sudden vision.

_A young woman was sitting on the floor of her bathroom, holding a cardboard packet. There were another two more, empty on the floor next to her. She held up a white plastic stick and studied it intently. After a moment, she stood from the tiled floor and turned to face the mirror, biting her lower lip, and her brow furrowing in concentration as she looked at her reflection. I could now see her face fully, her gentle brown eyes. She took one last look at the plastic stick, and its two small plus signs, before putting it back in the cardboard box and disposing of it in the silver rubbish bin under the sink._

Although short, the vision had left me shaken. Who was that girl? She looked so much like Bella, but she was much smaller. Was it Bella? My usually smooth brow crinkled in confusion. The brown eyes were like hers, except different. But she was biting her lower lip, and that was a _very_ Bella thing to do. But a pregnancy test? Bella was pregnant?! That meant she had a loving husband, that she had moved on. But how could she? Edward and her were meant to be together… I crumpled to the floor, as violent sobs wracked my body, and I felt pain that I had never felt before.

**EPOV**

It had been a month since I had last hunted, and I needed to go again. I groaned, not wanting to have to leave the protection of my room. It had been my sanction for the past three years, and I only ever left to hunt. And even then, I quickly returned. I didn't feel the desire to socialise, or even talk. I had left my heart in the forest that night three long years ago, and since then I had become a shell of my former self.

A sudden gasp from the direction of Alice's room broke me out of my self-pitying stupor. I usually refrained from listening in on my family's thoughts, all it ever consisted of was 'Oh poor Edward', or 'I wish he would come out of his room and actually live a little for once, we haven't wrestled for ages'. Real exciting stuff. But this once, I decided to listen in. I tuned into Alice, and was immediately drawn into the vision she was experiencing.

I watched in horror as the vision played out.

I felt sick.

Bella.

She was pregnant?

But…. How?

That meant she had moved on like I told her to.

She had found someone to replace her, to love her, to keep her safe.

If she had done the right thing like I told her, then why did it feel so wrong?

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**A/N - OOOHHH the suspense! Haha. Push that big green button, you know you want to! The more reviews, the quicker the updates.... **


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N - Here's the next chapter! Sorry it's taken so long... you know how life is :) But Ive passed all of my exams so far, just incase you wanted to know. Exciting eh?**

**Right. So the deal is, thanks to all of those people who are reviewing, it really is appreciated! So keep up the good work (it makes me write faster). BUT although some people are reviewing, some people aren't! Which is fine, but I'm not getting as much feedback as I would like, so it makes me wonder if people are enjoying it, or if I should even continue. So, I've come to the conclusion that I will only update/continue if I get reviews. 10 reviews infact. Yeah I know, it's kind of emotional blackmail or whatever, but it's not that much to ask really, because I know there's way more than 10 people reading it. I'm only going to write if there are people who actually want to read it. Ya know? So review if you like it, or want to make suggestions, or want to flame. I dont mind. Feedback is feedback! Enough from me, enjoy reading :)**

**This chapter starts off a little boring, but it is setting the scene, kind of filler-ish, kind of not. But it gets better at the end. So don't panic.**

Disclaimer - I do not own Twilight or any of its characters

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**Chapter 4**

**APOV**

I gathered my thoughts, and picked myself up off my floor. It had dented and splintered slightly from where I had fallen onto it heavily after my vision. I shuddered. What was I going to do about it? She used to be my best friend, she even still was in a way. I continued to love her like a sister. I had to do something. I walked at human pace to Edward's room. I knew he had seen my vision of Bella, and I wasn't looking forward to seeing his reaction, I just hoped that it wouldn't make his depression spiral downwards further. I got to his door, and knocked gently.

No reply. I took that as an open invitation, and walked in. He was sitting on the bare hardwood floor, his arms wrapped around his legs, which were pulled up tightly to his chest, staring into space. I sighed. This was exactly what I had hoped _wouldn't_ happen.

"Edward", I said gently.

He made no move to acknowledge me.

"Edward? Come on, talk to me. Please?", I said, more forcefully this time.

"What is there to talk about, Alice?", he said softly. "She moved on like I wanted her to. Exactly like I needed her to", his voice began to crack, "So there's nothing more to say. I… I just need some alone time".

Why was he so calm about it? Well not calm, but he wasn't about to fight for her back either. I could feel my anger growing.

"But Edward, can't you see? You are meant to be together! Are you blind? Seriously? Edward you need to be with each other. _I_ need you to be with each other. I need my best friend back. I need my family back!", I was shouting by the time I had finished.

He stared at me with his black eyes, saying nothing, his face unreadable.

"And you need to hunt", I added, before I turned and left his room in a huff.

**BPOV**

It would seem I was at a loss for what to do. I groaned. Surely it wasn't that hard to figure out? I mean, really. On the one hand I could choose option one, and possibly die as a result. Or I could choose option two. Great. Either way I was probably going to die. _Just my luck_, I thought. My brow furrowed. Option one it was then. I had often wondered what it must be like to die. Painful, yet peaceful, I had concluded. _Lets get this over and done with then_, I thought to myself. I picked up the ivory piece and moved it. I sighed as I got up from my chair and positioned myself on the other side of the table. I didn't have to deliberate for very long before I picked up my black piece and ruthlessly smashed it into the unsuspecting ivory rook. A smile formed on my lips. I liked chess. I mean, it wasn't all that fun playing a two-person game by yourself, but it made me think, and it filled in the time when I wasn't doing my law papers online. And it was fun smashing the pieces off the board. I knew violence wasn't the answer, well hell. Of course I knew that, I'd experienced it first hand and it hadn't got me anywhere, or Mike for that matter.

I looked at the clock on the wall, and cursed loudly. 4.45pm. Mike would be home in 30 minutes. Joy.

I got out of the chair once again, and made my way into the kitchen. Picking up the small white telephone, I dialled the number for the local pizza restaurant and ordered dinner for Mike. After being told that it would be delivered in 20 minutes, I thanked the operator and hung up. I decided to get into my pyjamas while I waited for dinner to arrive. I could tell that it was going to be an early night, so I might as well start getting ready for bed now. I wandered down the hallway and opened the door into my bedroom. Quickly I changed into my black flannelette pj's, throwing my clothes onto my bed. I walked across the hall to the bathroom and splashed my face with warm water, towelled it off, and took a glance in the mirror that sat atop the basin. Nothing much had changed in my appearance since last time I looked. I had lost a little more weight, my hair had become more matted. Just the usual. I returned to my bedroom and picked up my clothes, taking them to the laundry. I would have to do the washing tomorrow, I was running out of things to wear, and heaven forbid Mike should have to wear the same shirt twice. I would never hear the end of it, or feel the end of it. The doorbell ringing broke me out of my trance, and I quickly ran back to my bedroom to get my wallet before making my way to answer the door. With the pizza paid for, I returned to the kitchen and lay the box on the counter. I took a slice and ate it quickly, the warmth lighting a trail down my throat. As I swallowed the last bite, I heard the tell tale sign of Mikes arrival, tires spitting gravel down the driveway. _Here we go again_, I thought. One day I hoped to leave my pathetic life behind and start fresh. Where, I didn't know, but I did know that it would be as far away from Forks as possible. Maybe even somewhere sunny.

The door opened and slammed. Mike appeared, carrying a 12 pack of beer. I cringed. This was going to be a rough night. He dumped the beer on the kitchen bench and opened the pizza box.

"Oh well just help yourself then why don't you", he spat bitterly. "Like you need any extra calories. Have you seen yourself lately woman? Letting go a bit aren't you? Get any fatter and you wont fit in the front door".

I looked him straight in the eye, saying nothing. I refused to give him what he wanted: a reason to fight.

But he wasn't finished yet. "And what do you do all day that means you can't cook a meal for me? Is it really _that_ hard to sit on your fat arse? So strenuous, so tiring, that you can't cook a single fucking meal?", he yelled at me, leaning close to my face.

He hadn't even started on the beer yet, and this fight had been caused over something as simple as pizza. I _really_ wasn't looking forward to later on.

"Yes Mike", I said in a bland voice.

"Yes what? Yes I will make you dinner? Yes I will be a good wife for once?", he said loudly, "yes, yes, yes".

I ignored him and turned to go to my bedroom, when he grabbed my head and slammed me into the wall. His grip moved down to my throat and he squeezed tighter, cutting off my air.

"_Don't_ ignore me! Ever! You stupid, stupid bitch!", he spat into my face.

He continued to hold tightly onto my throat, and I badly needed air. Oh my god. I was going to die. He was going to kill me. Shit. I began to struggle against the pressure he had on my throat, clawing at the air in front of me. I was punching furiously, kicking wildly, but nothing was connecting with him. He stood there, still suffocating me, with a wild glint in his eye. He was never going to let go. I tried to scream, anything to make him stop, but nothing came out. I finally managed to claw his arm, leaving red scratch marks that began to bleed gently. I clawed at him again, running my nails down his arm once more, deepening the wounds I had already inflicted. One of my nails had been ripped off while I scratched at him, but that pain was nothing compared to what my head felt like. It was going to explode. My heart was pounding in my chest, and I could feel my consciousness slowly slipping away. I continued to claw in Mike's direction, I couldn't die. Not now. Not yet. I let out a tiny whimper as darkness began to cloud my vision, and before I let go, I thought only one word.

_Edward…_

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**A/N - right people.... lets get some reviewing going! The more reviews, the quicker the chapters.... And I know it's a short chapter, but if there is a next one, I will be sure to make it longer for you all :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N - Well, took me a while to update, but we got there in the end! Thanks for all the reviews, the whole 'Im not going to update until i get lots of them' didnt work, so hmmm. Never mind! :P Special thanks to iole01, who's review made me get my butt into gear and actually start writing again! So without further adue, chapter 5!**

**The next chapter will definitely include POV's from Jake, Bella, and maaaaybe Alice. But maybe not, because otherwise it will be a super long chapter... or maybe I will.... Who knows?**

**Enjoy :)**

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**BPOV**

I wandered down the road, kicking small stones that were in my path, watching them bounce and skid away. A car whizzed past me, sending dead leaves and dust billowing in a cloud around me. I squinted my eyes to avoid the dust until it settled, being extra careful to avoid tripping over anything in the immediate vicinity. As I continued to walk, I thought back to the previous nights events; Mike nearly ending my dismal and pitiful excuse for a life. I almost wished he had. However, I had miraculously (or not so miraculously, depending on how you looked at it) woken up from my deeply unconscious state, still in the same place where I had fallen some hours beforehand. After consulting the kitchen clock, I gathered that I had been out of it for 11 hours, which wasn't bad really. It was certainly a personal record. Mike had thankfully already gone to work, so I hadn't had to deal with him yet. It took a further two hours before I braved a look at myself in the mirror. I looked pretty much the same as normal, apart from my neck. The bruises there were an angry purple, blue and green concoction, and although I had done my best to cover them with make-up and a scarf, their presence was still painfully obvious.

As I kicked another stone, I looked up, noticing for the first time that I was nearly there. I began to see the ever so familiar landmarks of the small Forks township; Newtons, the roadside diner, the gas station. I was on my way to the grocery store, as we were rapidly running out of food in the cupboards at home, and I could faintly see the sign a few blocks down. I continued walking towards my destination, head down and with my hands in my coat pockets, sheltered from the bitter wind. Although the house was a good 20 minute drive, and at least an hours walk away from town, I had no choice to do anything but the latter, as Mike refused to let me buy a car of my own.

I walked though the nearly empty carpark and into the grocery store, relishing in the warm air that was blasted at me from the sliding doors. I quickly grabbed a basket and began my shop.

I had only just got out of the fruit and vegetable isle when I heard my name being called. I cautiously turned in the direction it had come from, nervously pulling at my scarf. As I scanned the faces around me, I saw him. The one person I never expected to see again.

"Jake?" I said.

"Bells, it's so good to see you!" he replied enthusiastically, a huge grin lighting up his face.

"Yeah, it's been a while…" I moved to walk away, signaling the end of our brief conversation, but before I could turn fully, he grabbed me by the arm. I flinched, not because I was scared of him, but because it had become a natural reaction for me whenever I was touched.

He took his arm away. "Bells come on, it's been what, two and a half years? Please, can't we just talk? I miss my friend, I just… please?" he said, the pain apparent in his eyes.

"Jake, I don't want to talk right now, ok? I'm busy, I have things to do, and I can't be late back home. So please, just let me be?" the last bit came out as a question, even though I had attempted to make myself sound as strong and firm as possible.

He sighed, looking at me again with his big dark eyes. I could tell he was sorry, heck, I was too, and I sure as hell missed my best friend, but I couldn't let him back in. Mike would never let me, and he would find out if I kept it from him. Letting him back into my life would mean opening myself up to being hurt again. I wasn't sure if I could actually live through being deserted for the third time in as many years. Physical pain I could deal with, but I'd had enough emotional trauma to last me more than a lifetime.

"Bells I -" he started.

"No. Just leave me alone!" I was on the verge of an emotional breakdown in the middle of the grocery store, and he could see it too.

I stalked over to the checkout, unconcerned about the remaining groceries I still hadn't had the chance to get. I just wanted to get out of there, now. I quickly paid and left, ignoring Jake, who was now following me.

"Bella. I know you probably don't want to hear it, but -"

"Yeah well your probably right then aren't you? Take the hint Jake," I cut him off snarkily.

He increased his pace to catch up to me, pulling me around to face him, ignoring my obvious discomfort at being touched.

"No. Listen here, 'cos I'm only going to say this once. I know you have been dealt a rough deal, and that everything seems kinda sucky, but seriously, I am so incredibly sorry for what happened that day. If I had the chance to take back time, then I would, but I can't. And so I have to live with the fact that I basically drove away one of the best things that has ever happened to me. Not to mention the fact that I pretty much destroyed her all over again in the process. I haven't had a single day since then that has been free of thoughts about you. About how sorry I am. And I don't know how I'm going to get it into your head, but I will find a way. You are still my best friend, and you took a part of my heart that day. A part that will always belong to you, and I'm ready to put my heart back together again. Will you let me?"

I stared at him through tear stained eyes, shocked. I opened my mouth to say something back, but shut it again when nothing came out.

"Well at least let me drive you home? It's going to rain soon, I can smell it, and I don't want you catching a cold walking all the way back, so how about it? I will even crank the heater up for you," he added on with a gentle smile.

"Ummm…."

"Come on, the car's just over here"

"Oh… ok… umm… no? I can't! " I managed to splutter out, relieved that I had managed to regain some degree of control over my mouth.

Jake's face fell.

"Oh Jake it's not you, I just umm… I like the exercise and its errrr….. ummm refreshing. Yeah."

"It's just a lift home Bella, not a marriage proposal," he muttered.

I looked at him, taking in his huge size, the lovely bronze colour of his skin, his dark brown eyes, and his short, yet tousled hair. He was still the same Jake that I knew and loved. And I did miss him. Terribly. I sighed.

"Fine, but can you drop me at the end of my road, so I at least get some chance for a walk?" I questioned.

His face broke out into another bright smile, and he nodded. "Can do".

The ride home was silent, but I enjoyed it none the less. Just being around someone who actually wanted to be around me was nice. It made a change, and I enjoyed it. Jake emitted a sort of calmness around him, and I couldn't help but feel safe while in his presence. It was just a shame that I wouldn't be able to do it more often.

Before long we had reached the end of my road, and true to Jake's prediction, it had started to rain.

"Well thanks for the ride, I guess I will see you round?" I said softly.

"Yeah no problem Bells. Anytime you want to hang out, just give me a call, yeah?" he replied, a hint of concern in his voice.

"Yip" I said, popping the P. We both knew I probably wouldn't call.

I opened the door of his rabbit, and climbed out, grabbing the few shopping bags I had.

"I love you Bells," he said gently.

I watched as he pulled out onto the road and began his journey home to La Push. Before long, he was out of sight, and I turned and started walking home.

"I love you too," I whispered.

Not even an hour after I returned from the grocery store, I heard the gravel crunching under tires on the driveway, signaling Mike's arrival. Today, I wasn't particularly keen to see him.

The door opened and shut, and I heard his soft steps on the carpet, heading towards the kitchen, where I currently was.

"Bella? You home?" he asked.

"In here," I replied quickly.

His head popped around the door. "Oh thank god I caught you, I was hoping we could talk?" he said softly.

What was this? International 'lets talk to Bella' day?

"Umm yeah, sure,"

"Great, I won't be a sec, just give me a minute to get changed,"

Well this was… weird. I waited nervously in the kitchen, waiting for his return. My stomach was doing flips, and I actually felt like I was going to barf.

He entered the kitchen, plopping himself down on the closest chair at the table.

"Sit, please?"

I did as he asked.

"I wanted to say sorry… I don't know what came over me last night, and I just… lost control I guess. I never meant for you to get hurt like that, really. I love you so much, and I've been stewing at work all day about what happened. So I hope you will forgive me, and let me make it up to you. Starting with cooking tea. Why don't you go and take a nice bath while I get it organized?" he said.

For the second time today, my mouth seemed to lose all ability to function, so I simply nodded before quickly exiting the kitchen. What the hell was wrong with him? He was acting, well… normal! I was still mulling over the meaning behind his actions when I was redressing after my bath. I had to admit, I had enjoyed it. I hadn't realized how tense I had become since my shower this morning, and the warm water had helped to soothe my muscles once more.

I could smell the wafting scent of cooked food as I walked towards the kitchen, and only then realized how hungry I really was.

"Whoa, this looks great Mike," I said appreciatively as I entered the kitchen and saw dinner sitting at the table, steaming away.

We had a nice dinner, chatting casually, like a normal couple would. This was the Mike I knew. I had no idea what had brought about the change, but I wasn't about to complain.

"I love you Bella, really. I do. And I'm sorry," Mike said, gazing into my eyes, as he held my hand across the table.

"I know, you have said it a million times tonight already," I said, smiling at him.

I had thought about how I was going to tell him for a while now, and tonight seemed like the perfect time. Better to get him while he's in a good mood, right? And he loved me, he just said it again, so he wouldn't do anything to me. He was sorry, and he loved me. It was going to be perfect.

"You know I love you too?" I questioned him.

"Of course, darling", he replied while giving my hand a gentle squeeze.

I cleared my throat nervously. "Well that's good, because I have something important to tell you…"

"Mmmmm?" he mumbled, bringing my hand to his lips for a kiss.

"I'm pregnant."

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**A/N - OOOOOHHHHH!!!!! What's Mike up to eh? And how do you think he's going to react to the news? Review and let me know what you think!!!**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N - Ooooh the story is finally coming together now folks! This is where the excitement begins, and also unfortunately for Bella, where things get a little sticky :( **

**Hopefully I will be able to get the next chapter up relatively quickly for you. Sorry this one has taken so long... you know how when you write something down, and its just not quite right? Well Jake was doing that for me... hmph. But its all better now, and it kiiiinda came out how I wanted it to, so here you go!**

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**Jake POV**

Sighing loudly, I ran a hand through my cropped black hair and flopped heavily down on my bed, ignoring the squeaky protests of the worn springs. Bella had been weighing heavy on my mind since I had dropped her off not even 30 minutes ago. My emotions felt like they were on a non-stop, rock and roll, crazy-fun rollercoaster. I was feeling ecstasy at seeing Bella again after so long, excitement about being given the chance to salvage the relationship we once had, nervousness at the prospect of losing her again, but overriding that was fear. Absolute gut-wrenching fear at Bella's apparent lack of a functional mental state. I had thought she was getting better. Well heck, she seemed happy enough when she shacked up with that blonde guy, what had changed since then? Surely she hadn't fallen back into that bottomless pit she had found herself in after those bloodsuckers left.

The scarf she had on was doing bugger all to hide those bruises. The fact that she had bruises in the first place was only mildly worrying - Bella had always been somewhat haphazard when it came to safety and co-ordination. But bruises around her neck were not normal for her by _any_ stretch of the imagination. Neither was flinching away from every single movement I made towards her. It was like she had cocooned herself in some protective shell to avoid being hurt again. But why had she suddenly relapsed now?

Closing my eyes and scrunching up my forehead in concentration, I tried desperately to piece together the confusing puzzle. Yes, she had been in a bad place for a time, but that was years ago, and she had made such progress since then. When I saw her today in the store, it was like she was 17 again. She had looked… defeated. Like she was absolutely resigned to the fact that her life was rubbish. Obviously she didn't want to carry on like that, I could see it in her eyes. The way she looked like she wanted to say something, then didn't… Just little things.

"What the hell?!" I yelled, my voice loudly breaking the silence that enveloped the house. The frustration of not knowing what was going on with Bella was becoming evident.

I felt like I was just on the verge of figuring her all out. But there was still something missing. Something big. I listed things in my head; bruises around her neck, looking like she was resigned to the fact that her life wasn't going to get any better, hardly talking to me, as though she didn't even want to become friends again. Like there was no point. Suddenly all the pieces in my head clicked together, and it all started to make sense.

I felt a sudden urge to protect her, by any means necessary. I still loved her deeply, but it was more like she was a sister now. After she was abandoned by those idiots, I knew she would never love fully again. She was damaged for good, and even though it hurt to admit it at the time, I knew she would never love me the way I wanted her to. So I settled for being her best friend, and although we parted ways, I never stopped feeling love for her. And if she was trying to hurt herself, shit, I wasn't going to let her.

Suicide? Really? How the hell had it come to this? I desperately wanted it to be a mistake, an illusion, anything. But those bruises were making it pretty obvious that she didn't just trip. Thank fuck she didn't succeed. I wonder who had saved her? Who had gotten there in time to rescue my angel? It must have been her blonde friend. I would definitely buy him a beer next time I saw him.

My mind continued its musings hours into the night. One thing was still troubling me though. What would happen if he wasn't there next time she tried? I couldn't let her die. Not now, after all we had been through. I would help her if it was the last thing I did. I made up my mind, and nothing Sam had to say was going to change it. I would patrol Bella's house 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to make sure that nothing happened to her. Starting tonight.

**APOV**

I sat staring blankly out the window of the car, watching the trees whizz by with picturesque clarity. Although I was with the one man I loved more than anything else in the world, on my way to a secluded spot for a week of undisturbed hunting, I still felt like something was missing. Well, other than the obvious. But try as I might, I couldn't shake the uneasiness that was steadily creeping into my conscious thought. It wasn't that we were travelling to an area neighbouring Forks, or that my life still lacked a sister. It was something else, something I couldn't quite put my finger on.

"You feeling okay love?" Jasper asked, gently squeezing my hand that was encased in his.

I turned to smile half heartedly at him, before looking again out the window. "Yes, thanks."

"We're nearly there, maybe another 10 minutes or so? Then we can quickly unpack and go for a hunt before it gets dark," he said softly, still looking at the road ahead.

"Sounds good…" I trailed off.

- * - * -

We had been on our 'camping trip' for nearly 5 days. I definitely felt more relaxed than I had in a while, even though Jasper's manipulation of my emotions was partly to blame. He knew that I hadn't really felt calm or peaceful since our untimely departure from Forks, and he did his best to help me feel better, but sometimes I just wanted to feel angry. Or sad. Or happy – heaven forbid I should actually feel happy one of these days. I was becoming more and more like Edward every day - moody, depressed and withdrawn.

Picking up my Vogue magazine from the kitchen counter, I began to flip through the pages as I made my way over to the plush leather couch. Although I had read this particular edition countless times already this week, I needed distraction, and a time filler. So another skim reading would do me just fine for now until Jasper came back from his quick trip out.

The rustling of leaves, around 2 miles out into the forest made me look up from the article I was reading, even though I could already tell by the footfalls that it was Jasper._ Speak of the devil, and he shall appear_, I thought.

A moment later, the front door quietly opened, and his voice floated into the room.

"Al? I've got a surprise for you honey," he said, a hint of excitement in his voice.

I placed the magazine on the coffee table next to the couch, and lifted my legs up so that they were curled underneath me.

Jasper walked into the room, his hands behind his back.

"You haven't seen already have you?" he questioned.

"No, I wasn't looking, sorry."

"That's good. I know how much this is going to mean to you, and although you might be angry to start with, just remember I did it for you, okay?" he said, suddenly seeming unsure.

"Ooook?" I replied, suddenly feeling very anxious.

He took his arms from behind his back, and held something out to me.

I looked at the piece of thin silver metal and black velvet, realising that I was looking at the back of a photo frame. I cautiously reached out and took it from his hands, flipping it over slowly to reveal the picture. I gasped as the breath caught in my throat, and tears welled in my eyes. Jasper, sensing my imminent breakdown sat on the couch next to me, pulling me gently into his arms. Sobs wracked my small body and I felt the familiar ripping pain in the pit of my stomach as pain overwhelmed me.

"Shhhh darling, it's okay," Jasper whispered, rubbing my back soothingly.

"Thank you… so… much… I'm so… sorry… I just… this… means… so much," I managed to blubber out in between sobs.

I looked back at the photo, remembering when it had been taken. It had been during one of the makeovers that I had inflicted on Bella, we were both in pyjamas – Bella in blue, and I in pink, heads thrown back in laughter, clutching at each other. It was a beautiful photo, my favourite of the two of us, one that I had been forced to leave behind in Forks.

"You didn't…?" I asked, not wanting to finish the question.

"No, I didn't see her. I could tell that she still lived there when I ran past the township – her smell was still fresh, but I didn't go out of my way to find her. I didn't think it was entirely appropriate…" he said quietly, looking down at his hands, still intertwined with my own.

"Thank you. Really. You don't know how much I've missed seeing this photo everyday," I murmured.

"I'm just glad that I could bring you some happiness, even though it may only be a small amount," he replied, kissing my hand sweetly.

"Do you think we could maybe go back to the house before we leave? Just quickly… there's a few things I need to pick up," I said, gazing into his golden eyes expectantly.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"I will only be there a few minutes, it's no big deal," I added nonchalantly.

Looking into my eyes, he sighed quietly to himself. "Well I can see that you have already made up your mind, so as long as we only go to the house, and no further, then I guess that would be okay."

I smiled brightly at him. "See? I knew there was a reason I loved you!"

"Glad we got that sorted then," he said with a laugh. "Well I don't know about you, but I'm feeling a little peckish. How about we grab a bite to eat?" he added with a smirk. "Could I tempt you with a little bit of squirrel for entrée, followed by freshly caught mountain lion, with some lovely local deer for dessert?"

"Oh why that sounds lovely!" I replied with a posh English accent.

"After you then, my dear," he said with an accent similar to my own, extending his hand out to allow me room to pass.

For the first time in what seemed like forever, I laughed as I skipped lightly out the door.

**BPOV**

I watched anxiously as several different emotions flickered across Mike's face, each disappearing as quickly as it had come. I gulped as it set on one I knew well. My throat constricted in fear as a new realisation hit me; never before had I seen him look _this_ angry… ever. I whimpered as he stood, and in a feat I would have expected in the Cullen house, flipped the heavy wooden table over on its side, sending plates and cutlery skidding along the floor. I continued to watch in horror as he cracked his knuckles and made his way towards where I sat cowering on my chair, unable to move.

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**A/N - *Ducks for cover to avoid flying objects* Please don't hate me for leaving it there!!! Needless to say, the next chapter is going to be BIG! I'm in the process of writing it now, so if anybody has any cool suggestions of what might happen/what you want to happen then let me know and I might just put it in... And.... REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! It makes me happy :)**

**I will try to get the next chapter up a.s.a.p**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N. I'm sooooo sorry this chapter has taken so long! It's starting to get really hectic at uni now, and there have been heaps of assignments and exams happening! The next month or so is going to be more of the same, so I apologize in advance for the hold up in the publishing of more chapters. Thanks to those who are still reading and reviewing, it makes me happy knowing that people are enjoying the story :)**

**As many of you are very anti-Mike, I've decided that readers can decide his fate for the next chapter! Mail me your ideas for him (or include it in a review) and the best one will be in the story. So get your thinking caps on! It can be as whacky or as silly as you like!**

**A BIG thank you goes out to my Beta TwinkleFae - she is super helpful and super speedy! (And is good at reminding me that some of the words I use in my drafts are more english than american, which is always helpful!)**

**Also thanks to iole01, my ideas creator! **

**Disclaimer still applies :)**

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Chapter 7

**BPOV**

"Mike, please don't do this! I know you don't want to hurt me! Please listen to me Mike! Don't hurt me, think of the baby!" I pleaded with him as he advanced towards me.

His eyes still held the unmistakable glint of fury and madness, and that knowledge made my stomach turn. My attempts at calming the situation and making him see reason were falling on deaf ears, and he kicked hard at my chair as he came to a stop before me. As he towered over me, burning holes in me with the force of his glare, I began to cry uncontrollably.

"Oh god. Oh god. Oh god. Oh god." I whimpered. I was going to die, I could feel it.

I screamed as he grabbed my hair suddenly and jerked my head back so I was looking him in the eye.

"Listen here, 'cos I'm only gonna say this once. I don't love you, you useless piece of shit. I never have. The only reason I let you into my house, _my home_," he growled, "is because at a time I felt sorry for you.

"I thought that maybe we could be happy together once you saw how good for you I was, how good for you I still _am._ But I got sick of you soon enough, didn't I? Moping around like the world owed you a favour, yeah right. Like anyone owes you anything. Edward Cullen this, Edward Cullen that. Well Edward fucking Cullen was right to leave you. He obviously knew what a no-hoper you were going to become and got out before he got tied down with some dud of a girlfriend.

To be honest, I am actually quite surprised that he lasted so long, that you didn't drive him away a bit sooner. How long was it? Well it was obviously too fucking long for him wasn't it. Remind me to buy him a beer next time I see him… Oh no wait! You were such a terrible girlfriend that he didn't just dump you – he had such an urge to get away from you that he fucking moved town! And he dragged his whole _fucking_ family with him!" he said laughing bitterly. "Shit. Maybe I should've taken a leaf out of his book, he seemed to have you all figured out long before I did.

He paused, staring at me before he began speaking again.

"Did you know that my family is thinking of taking the shop back? MY shop? You know, the shop that I took over from them last year? And do you know why, you stupid bitch?! Because they said that it was supposed to be a family run business. Apparently you and I aren't working enough as a 'family' so they want to give it to someone else. And the fact that the shop has started to go downhill doesn't help. We are losing profits left right and centre, but none of that is going to matter if it's not even my fucking shop anymore! It's all your fucking fault Bella!"

Tears began to well in his eyes at the mention of his shop. I knew he loved it, but I didn't see how I had anything to do with it going down the drain.

"I grew up wanting to take over that shop, Bella! I actually _wanted_ to. I thought that I could make my parents proud of me, proud of what I had become." He paused. "But then you crawl into my life, and slowly but surely turn it up on it's ass. Now I'm about to lose what I've always wanted in life, the one thing that I had always wanted to become. Doing what my dad had done, just like my grandfather, and his father. Carrying on the family business, and the family name. Do you know what it's like to lose something you love, Bella? Something you really, really love, and all you can see is it slipping away, further out of reach, and there is absolutely nothing you can do about it?!"

"Yes," I whispered. For the first time in my life, I had something in common with Mike. I knew what he was going through, the exact same thing had happened to me.

"No you fucking well don't!" he yelled at me. "That shop is my whole life! Do you know what will happen to me if I don't have a reason to get up in the morning anymore?"

"No…" Edward leaving had ruined my life, and I had no doubt that Mike losing the shop would have the same kind of effect on him. But if he felt like there was nothing left in life for him, that made him a dangerous man. A very dangerous man.

I cringed as his expression changed from pleading to furious.

"I'm sick to death of you! You have ruined my life, so I think it's only fair that I get to ruin yours too."

He jerked my head back hard before continuing. "_Nobody _could ever want you. _Nobody_ could _ever_ want your ugly filthy pathetic kids. So you know what? No. I don't want your stupid parasitic leech of a baby, and I'm going to save the little brat the agony of having to live with you for the next 18 years of it's miserable life."

His elbow connected with my jaw so swiftly that I didn't even see it coming. I groaned loudly as pain shot through my face. Still holding my hair, he dragged me off the chair and I landed on the hard floor with a thud.

"Mike, please," I mumbled, my jaw becoming numb with pain. I was rapidly losing hope that I would ever see the light of day again.

I saw his boot coming towards my head, and before I had even realised what happened, I felt a dull pain and slipped into the welcoming darkness.

Boom… Boom… Boom… Boom…

My head was throbbing, and it felt like I had a raging heavy metal concert playing in my head. I woke with a groan, my cheek pressed against the chilled floor. I was shivering from the cold, and my body was stiff with pain. I opened my eyes slowly, afraid of what I might see looking down at me. Sitting up slowly, I bit back another groan that threatened to escape my lips. I hurt everywhere. I struggled to focus on my surroundings as my eyes blurred and my head spun. Gradually it became evident where I was. The bathroom? How the hell had I managed to get myself here?

The last thing I remembered was telling Mike I was pregnant. I guessed that didn't go well, to judge by my current situation. I arched my neck, trying to work out the kink that had wormed it's way into my muscle, ignoring the spasms of pain that shot down my back as I did. I needed to find a way out of here, and quickly.

I hoped that Mike would be at work, but not knowing the time limited my options of escape. It would be just my luck that I would find a way out, only to have Mike catch me. I sighed. Turning over, I got on my hands and knees, and began to crawl towards the bathroom sink and cupboards. I needed a weapon, just in case. It wouldn't do anything, really, but it would make me feel better if I could inflict some kind of pain on Mike. Reaching the counter, I used the bench to heave myself up to my feet, and opened the cupboard slowly. Lying on the shelf was toothpaste, a toothbrush, tampons, and a hairdryer. I chuckled to myself. Death by tampons, imagine that.

I picked up the hairdryer and closed the small door, and without hesitation, threw it at the mirror above the sink. 7 years of bad luck was nothing, I'd had enough bad luck to last me a lifetime. The glass shattered and fell in small pieces into the sink, clinking against the porcelain. I grabbed a bigger shard and held it in my hand. After a moment, I grabbed another one, for my other hand. I sank carefully down onto the floor and moved back to where I had been before, contemplating my plan.

I heard footsteps coming down the hallway, and quickly weighed up the idea of 'playing dead' to avoid further beating. Deciding this was the best option I had at present, I lay back down on the cold tiles and closed my eyes. Not a second later, I heard a key in the lock, and with a small click the door slowly swung open, soft light seeping through my eyelids. It must be daytime then.

"Stupid girl," Mike muttered to himself. "So much of a wimp that she can't even handle a bit of a punch without being laid out the rest of the day. Pathetic," he spat.

His footsteps began again and stopped close to me. "Time to wake up, darling," he sneered. A bowl of cold water poured down onto my face, and I choked and spluttered as it went in my mouth and nose. The glass pieces in my hands dug into my skin as a gripped them tightly, and I felt the warmth of my blood trickling down my palm.

"I knew you were faking, you tart. You never were very good at doing the real thing."

"Well at least I'm not a self righteous bastard!" I replied snarkily. _Come closer _I thought. _I dare you!_

His bitter laugh echoed around the small room. "You know Bella, I think I'm going to enjoy this even more now."

With that, he began kicking my stomach repeatedly, over and over again.

"How you like me now eh?"

"You suck at being gangster Mike. You kick like a GIRL!" I spluttered out. All I needed was for him to come a tiny bit closer, and then I would be able to get him, right in the face. My goading was for two reasons, the first was to draw him closer, and the second was to annoy him. If I was going to die, I wanted it to happen quickly, and it wasn't in his nature to do things speedily. The only way I was going to quicken it up was to annoy him and make him mad. It appeared to be working.

I screamed as he flipped me over onto my stomach, and I squirmed under his tight grip. I hoped that I would live long enough to see the bruises that formed from them, but I knew that I wouldn't. He was too far gone into madness to stop anytime soon. He wanted me dead, and by the looks of things he was going to get his wish. I twisted my wrists so that they were turned towards Mike and quickly thrust the glass towards his arms. He grunted as they pierced his skin, and let go of me momentarily, but not long enough for me to get away.

"You are going to regret that," he said in an eerily calm voice.

With one swift movement, he stomped down on my neck and a resounding crack echoed throughout the room. I spluttered once, and then felt no more.

**Alice POV**

We were on our way home, and I was looking forward to seeing the rest of the family again, but I also felt sorry for Jasper. I knew it was torture having to deal with everybody's constant unhappiness, and I always felt bad that we were causing him any form of pain. In this instance, his gift was anything but useful to him. He always assured me that it wasn't unbearable, but you could see it got to him most days. I just hoped that Edward would come to his senses and go back to Bella, sooner rather than later. He was causing everyone unnecessary suffering.

I leaned over and turned on the radio, and the sound of the radio DJ's voice filled the car.

"Here's the next request of the day, it's 'Stronger' by Kanye West. Enjoy." The beginning of the song blasted out of the speakers, and just as it was getting into it, the song abruptly stopped. "Just kidding, here's Taylor Swift, and 'You belong with me'."

I laughed at the DJ's antics.

Jasper turned and smiled at me.

"What?" I asked.

"Nothing, just enjoying the sound of you laughing, that's all," he said, smiling again. "And wondering when our next romantic getaway is going to be."

I smirked at him. "Well that's for me to know and you to find out, isn't it?"

He chuckled. "I guess I will just have to persuade you somehow then won't I…" he trailed off suggestively.

"Maybe… But I-." I sighed as a vision played out before me.

I snapped back to reality, quickly yelling at Jasper to stop the car, and to call everyone.

"Jazz, Bella is in trouble, you need to get EVERYONE back to Forks! I need to go help her!" With that I scrambled out of the car and sprinted off in the direction of the small town. I could hear Jasper's hurried words as he spoke into the phone, and I begged for my legs to carry me faster. I needed to get to her, quickly.

**Jake POV**

I had wanted to visit Bella last night, but some stupid bloodsucker had been wandering around the Cullen's house, which sent the pack into overdrive. I had spent the night patrolling the area and following scents, and by the time my shift was over I was so exhausted that I went home and fell into bed. But tonight, I was going to check up on her. No idiot vamp was going to keep me away.

I hopped quickly out of bed, pulling on some jeans as I walked into the kitchen for a quick bite to eat. Bite, ha. I laughed at the irony. _Cheap thrills eh Jakey boy?_ I thought to myself. My bare feet slapped softly over the worn wooden floor as I approached the pantry and opened the door. Looking inside, a loud groan escaped my lips.

"Dad when was the last time we went shopping?" I yelled into the living room.

"You went yesterday, remember?" he replied.

Crap. I'd forgotten to actually buy anything in my excitement to see Bella. "Um, well I guess I need to go again then. Did I tell you I saw Bells there? We got caught up chatting and I kind of forgot to get stuff…" I trailed off, shutting the pantry door as I spoke.

"Bella? How longs it been?"

"Year or so."

"Oh wow. Get her over for supper one night. It's about time we all caught up again."

"Mhmmm…" I poked my head through the door. "Just going out to see her actually, don't wait up," I said gazing at the TV screen. "What's the score?"

"25-12. The team is playing like kids, I tell ya Jake, those coaches really need a talking to, I mean what are they teaching them? It's like they don't-"

"Yeah gotta go dad, I'll see ya later, yeah?" I quickly said before darting out the door.

Before long, I was padding through the forest, en route to Bella's. I felt strangely uneasy, for no particular reason. Maybe I was just hungry. I briefly considered stopping by at Emily's for a quick snack, but decided I would check on Bella first, then grab something. I hoped Em had baked muffins… Mmmmm those were _damn_ good muffins. Chocolate, or banana. Or raspberry and white chocolate, but then the blueberry ones were always good too.

My daydream about muffins was cut short when I stopped in the shadows of the woods surrounding Bella's house. The smell of blood assaulted my acute senses and I immediately tensed. There was blood, and lots of it. I quickly phased, threw on my jeans and sprinted towards the house, knocking the solid oak door down as I ran through it. I followed the smell of blood down the hallway and approached a small room. A beady eyed man with a sour expression on his face stood in the doorway facing me, as if daring me to approach him. I threw him out of my way, and he hit the hallway wall with a resounding thud. I looked into the room and I gasped audibly. Bella was lying still on the tiled floor, battered, bruised, and not breathing.

**Alice POV**

I was still a distance from Forks, running as fast as my small legs could carry me. I was periodically checking Bella's future, as well as my other family members, to make sure nothing had drastically changed. As I checked into Bella's future once more, I saw nothing. Dread washed through me, as I once again attempted to see something, anything. I was still coming up with nothing. "BELLA, NO!"

* * *

**AHHHHH! Don't hate me, please! And I'm SUPER sorry for leaving it there, especially because the next update isn't going to be for a while.... I'm away on vacation (or holiday, for those non americans out there!) soon, so I miiiight have time to start writing something for the next chapter before I go, but I'm not going to promise anything. **

**Please review and let me know what you think of the chapter!**

**ALSO - Don't forget to give me your idea's on Mike and his fate!**


	8. Authors Note

Hi All

Just a wee note to let you know that I won't be updating again until nearer the end of November. I have a huge workload coming up these next five weeks so it's going to be pretty hectic and at the moment, my studies need to take priority.

I will write the next chapter as soon as I'm all done with exams and assignments, but until then, just hang tight!

As for the last chapter, don't forget to come up with ideas regarding Mike's fate!! And review... I've only had one so far :( --- Thats my sad face.

So I will update ASAP, but pleeeease review! I need to know that the story is worth continuing, and the only way you can let me know is by giving me some feedback.

Its all appreciated :)

Thanks

Nic

xo


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